Wool Wonders

It is another cold/snowy day in Iowa, so I thought I would brighten things up a bit by sharing a couple amazing wool pieces with you. It is no surprise that I have a love for birds and owls...and my good friend Kimber shares my owl obsession - in fact, I think she loves them more than I do (if that is even possible)!...so when I opened a box of birthday goodies from Kimber, I was extremely touched to get a couple pieces of her wool art - including an owl portrait. Kimber's wool portraits are AMAZING...so amazing, that one is featured in the latest issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine (visit Kimber's blog to read all about it!). I think what I love most about this particular piece is that she created it with her very favorite colors and I can't help but think of her and smile each and every time I look at it....and isn't the frame absolutely perfect?! In addition to the owl portrait, she made me the most GORGEOUS wool button with earthy colors...yep, she designed it too - she's crazy talented...I love the added touch of the three little beads! This handmade shank button measures 1.5" in diameter...and I just have to find the perfect use for it...but for now, I'll admire it lovingly on the sunshiny yellow card.  Kimber included several other owl and bird gifts in my box of treasures...including some fun notepads, labels, a glass ornament, some fabrics...even my birthday card was a pop-up card with owls in a tree and the box was wrapped with adorable owl paper.

Yes, I truly have the best friends - and I am so blessed that they share their talents and hearts with me...

Cross My Heart

I continue to work on BRD deadlines and projects, but as I promised myself, I am still making time to sew and quilt....it keeps me refreshed and definitely lowers my stress level. I am still playing with the newest AccuQuilt dies - specifically, the dies in the fall "stash buster" collection. There were twelve new GO! dies in the last release...including the one I have been focusing on for a couple days - the GO! Snowball (6" Finished). The classic snowball block is quite versatile - and although from a distance, it can look like a round circle, it is actually an octagon with a triangle in each of the four corners. I decided to work on a Valentine quilt using the 6" snowball blocks for an appliqué base - I didn't use a pattern, just created/designed my own - which I titled "Cross My Heart". I dug through my fabric stash (fabrics are mostly from the Winsome Collection by Nancy Halvorsen for Benartex) and started out by cutting and piecing nine snowball blocks...the the GO! Snowball  die makes it incredibly easy to make this block with little fabric waste...the octagon and the coordinating triangles are on the same die...and the dog ears are cut off the triangles, allowing the corners to match up perfectly for piecing! All the measuring and calculating is done for you...

After piecing the snowball blocks, I went through my AccuQuilt dies and choose some fun Valentine shapes. I did all the appliqué stitching on my sewing machine using various sizes of blanket stitch....then added 2" strip borders and cornerstones. 

And after quilting and binding, here's the final result...my 21" x 21" Cross My Heart wall hanging...I added a sleeve to the back and it's hanging in time for Valentine's Day!

Tonight it is back to model stitching...it is still bitter cold, so I plan to curl up in my warm stitching nest with my favorite quilt and spend some time with my needle...

Books and Blessings

I have gotten a bit behind on my blog posts...and I have so many creative and inspiring things to share with you! I have been doing more stitching and sewing - having lots of fun in my studio...plus I am celebrating a birthday this month and I have received some really artistic and crafty gifts I can't wait to tell you about...each and every day has been full of beauty and surprises.

Last Thursday, I received a bright and cheerful gift in the mail from my fabulous friend Elizabeth - a lovely needlepoint scissor case! This triangular, pink and orange poppies scissor case was just what I needed to see during this long, hard winter. Inside, there is a ribbon to attach a pair of scissors - and I found the perfect pair in my collection...I just love this...

Then I got to start off my weekend right with "Friendship Friday"...yep, it was time for lunch with my BFFs Mary and Lorrie...and this time Kimber was able to join us too! We met at a local restaurant for a little food and fellowship (always my favorite Friday of the month). I had no idea the girls planned to celebrate my birthday, so when they showered me with gifts, I was a bit emotional and overwhelmed. I feel so blessed to have these three beautiful, strong, inspiring women in my life - they are all truly incredible. We enjoyed a long lunch and it was exactly what I needed. I have to share just a few of the creative gifts they had for me...

Lorrie made me tear-up with a unique stitched pocket watch...I just adore the little woman with a crown (Give Love by The Little Stitcher) that is Cross Stitch over-one...and the two vintage buttons are a great accent. I placed it on a piece of Valentine fabric my friend Mary gave me...

Lorrie also gifted me with an incredible book that she just knew I would love - The World of Wooden Bobbins: The Story of Old Wooden Textile Bobbins by Graham Fellowes (Editor), David Harban (Photographer) - ISBN 10: 0964672006 / ISBN 13: 9780964672000. This book is an excellent resource for bobbin collectors, as it contains extensive history and particulars...plus, there are more than 300 images (many color). It is extremely detailed, while remaining easy to read...and I have found it quite interesting to look up the bobbins in my collection and read about their history and uses. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in wooden bobbins...

I also received a wonderful book from Mary - Sonoran Borders: Threads of Friendship by Vickie LoPiccolo Jennet. This beautifully illustrated book follows the fictional journey of two young girls, Feliciana and Emily, who met in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona Territory more than a century ago. Although their time together was brief, their friendship spans a lifetime through correspondence and a shared love of needlework. The book includes 11 inspiring projects with unique finishing ideas...and now that I have had a chance to look through this fabulous book, I must have the author's newest release A Schoolroom Alphabet: 12 Cross-Stitch Projects Based on an Antique Handkerchief...it is definitely going on my wish list!

Mary also gave me a Thirty-One Round-About Caddy filled with tons of treasures and goodies...yes, she spoiled me, as she always does! I really like this sturdy caddy with numerous pockets - it is extremely versatile and I can think of a half a dozen uses for it...plus it is black and white polka dot...too fun!!

I have so much more to share - but I will save some for another day...just wait until you see what my extremely talented friend Kimber made for me...and I received two more packages in the mail today (which I will save and open later in the week). My heart is full - I am feeling extremely blessed and beyond spoiled....

Shades of Black

I have been doing my best to make more time for sewing and quilting...and setting aside a little bit of time to try out the newest AccuQuilt dies - specifically, the dies in the fall "stash buster" collection. There were twelve new GO! dies in the last release and one of these dies is the GO! Equilateral Triangle (4.5" sides - 4.25" finished). It seems equilateral triangles are currently 'all the rage', so I was excited to have a little time at my sewing machine to play with this versatile shape. Last night, I decided to grab some black and white fabrics from my stash (Shades of Black by Me & My Sister Designs for Moda) and started cutting triangles...I was cutting without a particular project in mind, but quickly decided on a pillow cover. I cut 42 triangles, but ended up only needing 32 for my pillow cover...the rest I will use for another project. The GO! 4.5" Equilateral Triangle die makes things extremely easy by cutting off the dog ears and placing notches on two sides to quickly line up your pieces for sewing.

I was able to sew the triangles into rows with lightning speed...and in no time, I was quilting my patchwork. I used fusible fleece instead of batting...and using my presser foot as a guide, quilted zig-zag lines about a 1/2" apart, covering the entire piece - giving the quilting a chevron look. I then used a fun floral print (Sun-kissed by Michele D'Amore Designs for Benartex) to make an envelope back with a Velco closure.

....and the results were exactly what I wanted - a beautiful pillow cover in just a couple hours. I used a 14" pillow form, although the cover was slightly larger (I didn't want to cut off the tops and bottoms of my outer rows of triangles). This die is definitely a winner and I can see using it for TONS of future projects! I am just thrilled with the results and plan to send this beauty off to a good friend who LOVES black & white color combinations...

As I have a chance to work with the other AccuQuilt GO! dies in this collection, I will be sure to share the results with you...I have a plethora of fun ideas and hope to do a little more fabric cutting later today...fingers crossed....

"Flurry Friends"

Here is a little peek of another upcoming BRD release titled "Flurry Friends". I finished the model stitching last night and will have more details for you soon. If you are a Blue Ribbon Designs fan, then you may remember I did a couple wintry kitchen towel designs for Cross Stitch & Needlework Magazine over a year ago - this design combines the two towel designs into one and the chart will include the new large design and the two kitchen towel designs. This snowy design is (of course) perfect for framing, but I think I am going to change things up a bit...I'm still deciding what I want to do with it...I just know it will be something fun and different from the usual frame. As soon as it is ready to be revealed, I will be back with more information for you!

Perfect for Pressing

There are a lot of things happening in my world right now...I am model stitching new releases, I am sewing up a storm (some commissioned work, some personal pieces, and some Etsy items), I am working on a fancy new look for my BRD website, and I am hammering out several large deadlines.

This past weekend, I was quite busy in my studio, working on several sewing projects...including a birthday gift for a dear friend. She is a dog lover, just like me, so I used some fun cotton quilting prints to make her a pincushion. The top is a broken dishes quilt block using Max & Whiskers by BasicGrey for Moda...and the bottom is an adorable dog bone print (Man's Best Friend designed for Exclusively Quilters). I pinned on a wool felt heart and added some decorative pins for a special touch...just a small surprise to brighten her birthday!

My old iron...

But, there is a little more to the story...after getting all the shapes cut for the pincushion and the initial piecing done, I went to my trusty old Oliso TG800 iron to do a little pressing...and when I turned it on, nothing happened...it had completely died. Now, I can't say that I am surprised, as Travis had bought me this iron in early 2006 and I pretty much have it running for hours every single day - I am not sure what the average life of an iron is, but after using this one daily for 8 years, I feel like it held up REALLY well - I'm mean, let's face it, I am extemely hard on an iron! I had known for a couple months that it was on it's last leg, as it was acting a little quirky, but I was pretty much devastated when it refused to turn on. My husband happened to be out running errands and I called and asked him to pick me up a cheap iron, just to get by until I had a chance to get a new Oliso. Well, to my surprise, he returned home with a new Oliso Pro (TG1600) - woohoo! - a newer fancier model designed for quilters and sewers - I was so excited - giddy, really...I know, I know, it's only an iron, but this is a top-of the-line iron for a quilter and when you use it daily, all the extra perks with this model make a HUGE difference. He called it my early birthday gift...and although I think birthday gifts should be "pretty, not practical", I will happily accept this one! Right away, I could see improvements and changes...like a longer cord - my old model had an 8' cord, but the new one has a 12' cord - so much better! Another thing I am happy about - the stay on time is quite a bit longer - my older iron shut-off after 8 minutes of no use...the new one shuts-off after 30 minutes of no use - so much better when quilting! I know an iron is really personal preference and there are good and bad reviews about every single model out there - but after the great experience I had with my first Oliso, I am just thrilled to have a new one...and I am hoping it will last at least 8 years (or more!)...

So with my fancy new yellow iron heated up and ready to go, I am off to press a pile of quilt blocks with a big smile on my face...it is truly the little things that bring me happiness!

Key To My Heart

I just love working on projects for Valentine's Day - it makes me happy to work with red, pink, and white fabrics...and I have fun with heart shapes/motifs. I have been working with various Valentine fabrics in my stash, along with an assortment of wool felts, and enjoying every minute of it! I managed to finish up a pile of pincushions (tiny decorative pillows) - the pincushion tops are machine appliqué (assorted felts on quality quilting fabric)...and the backs are quilting fabric, as well (the retired collection Hearts Aflutter by Sandy Gervais for Moda). On several pieces, I added a small pink lace flower for a special touch...and each one has a couple decorative pins too! They are various sizes - some square and some rectangular...and I was just tickled with how each one turned out...

If you are looking for a sweet (inedible) Valentine treat to add to your collection...or if you are looking for a special gift...you can find a dozen of these heartfelt pincushions listed in my Etsy shop, ready for shipping...

"Simply Sweet"

Here is just a little peek of an upcoming BRD release titled "Simply Sweet". I finished the model stitching last week and will have more details for you soon - this will be design number two in the Seasonal Samplings Series. This delicate design is perfect for framing, but I think I am going to change things up a bit and finish it into a pillow as an alternative...I'm still working on the perfect plan. As soon as it is ready to be revealed, I will be back with more information for you!

Plus, I should have a sneak peek of "Flurry Friends" for you later this week...my needle has been working overtime...

Friendship Pillows

This year, for holiday gifts, I made several friendship pillows. Pillows are a great way to show off machine embroidery, along with quilting and patchwork!

The machine embroidered center of each pillow is a digitized design by my friend Shelli at Needle In A Haystack Designs called "True Friend Sampler"...Shelli does designs for both hand and machine embroidery - her digitized designs for machine embroidery are available at SWAKembroidery.com...and many of her hand embroidery patterns are available online at Pine Needles. I used beautiful rayon machine embroidery threads to match the fabrics I chose for each recipient...and embroidered the design on a natural unbleached single face quilted muslin fabric.

The patchwork/assembly part of each pillow is my own design. I used my AccuQuilt GO! Fabric Cutter to cut 2.5" squares (in some cases I used a mini charm pack) and 1.5" strips of cotton quilting fabric to frame the embroidery. I used an envelope pillow back with a Velcro closure...and even serged the inside raw edges to make the pillow covers washable.

I am thinking of putting together a few of these for my Etsy shop and already have several of the embroideries completed...you know, for my shoppers needing a handmade gift for a friend...

If you are a quilter or sewer/sewist, I hope this post will encourage you to add a little hand or machine embroidery to your next project....

A Pair of Pink Ornaments

Now that all of my handmade holiday gifts have been distributed, I can share a couple with you. The ornaments shown in today's post were made for my dear friends Mary and Lorrie...they both have a "pink" Christmas tree on display during the holidays...and I thought, what could be better than a pink cross stitched ornament to add to each of their collections?. The stitched design is Christmas Keepsakes II from JBW Designs...and I stitched them on 40-count Wild Rose hand-dyed fabric from Lakeside Linens with Anchor cotton embroidery floss. I used a pair of Oval Metal Needlework Finishing Forms (1 3/4" x 2 1/2") from Flying Needles to finish each one and made two-tone twisted cord from DMC cotton embroidery floss. The back of each ornament is fussy cut cotton quilting fabric (Colorful Christmas by My Mind's Eye for Riley Blake Designs)...I wanted to back to be just as cute as the front! These were a quick stitch, easy to finish, and I thought they turned out adorable. Finishing forms are a quick way to make your handmade ornaments look professional...they come in a variety of shapes and sizes...they are cost effective...and they are quite versatile, as you can embellish both sides to suit your needs...

Each December, I pull out my ornament project bag and work on several hand-stitched holiday decorations...this year I realized my project bag has over 25 ornaments that are stitched and ready for finishing...and since I really enjoy the finishing process, I need to get them put together for next year - time to pull out my big bag of finishing forms and make a dent in the pile. Plus, Mary and Lorrie want to get together later this year and have an ornament finishing party, so we will have to get that on the calendar for a "friendship Friday" (doesn't that sound like fun?!)...maybe I will actually get an early start on gifts for next year...

Prize Package Pondering...

Have you visited the Therm O Web blog before??...well, it is one of my favorites. They are always posting fun tutorials and creative ideas...and yes, they have lots of great giveaways! If you haven't heard of Therm O Web - they are a prominent adhesive manufacturer in the craft and fabric markets...they produce quality iron-on adhesives for fabrics, along with an extensive line of adhesives for hobbies and scrapbooking. I have their blog saved in my reader and at least several times a week it inspires me. During December, they hosted a "12 Days of Giveaways" with some FABULOUS prizes...and (to my surprise) I just happened to be the big winner on day 10! My prize package arrived yesterday (it couldn't have come at a better time) and it included: a selection of four Thermo O Web HeatnBond® products, a fat quarter stack from Camelot Fabrics ("Naughty Puppies"), and some coordinating spools of Coats Threads (Paper Piecing Thread, Bold Hand Quilting Thread, and Embroidery Thread). Now to decide what to create with my new stash...any ideas???...

The Gift of Friendship

It has been quite the week and I could really use a do-over with less stress and hassle (I know, we all have them at sometime or another...but WOW, this week has been a doozy) - "it is what it is" and I am just trying to move forward with a (somewhat) positive attitude and hope the black cloud following me dissipates soon.

On a MUCH happier note, I was finally able to get together with my dear friends, Mary and Lorrie, for our belated holiday celebration a little over a week ago - we had postponed our friendship Friday before Christmas due to bad weather, so we had a little post-holiday celebration. We met at one of my favorite local restaurants and enjoyed a lovely fireside lunch...we chatted and laughed and just enjoyed the afternoon...and of course, we exchanged gifts. Both Mary and Lorrie are extremely generous and thoughtful and I had loads of packages to unwrap...and I wanted to share a few of the unique and creative gifts with you...

Lorrie made me a GORGEOUS quilted table runner that matches my dining room decor perfectly!...and she also cross-stitched a beautiful bread cloth for me...

Mary has a special knack for finding great gifts...and she gave me a bag FULL of  treasures to unwrap...including a fabulous large wooden spool wrapped with twine and a smaller wooden spool wrapped with a silver/string bracelet!...and in the top right photo, you will see an adorable glass cupcake pedestal/dome Mary found - isn't it wonderful?! - I just *had to* bake cupcakes last night, so it wouldn't be lonely (and to comfort me after this past crazy week). She also sparked my creativity with a book that has been on my wishlist forever...and I can't believe I didn't get a photo of the squirrel mug with the words "NUTS ABOUT YOU" on the back...

It was THE BEST afternoon with friends and I feel extremely blessed to have both of them in my life...my months wouldn't be the same without "friendship Friday" and the joy these two bring me...I am a very lucky girl!

So now, I am off to salvage what is left of the weekend...to try and clear off my desk top...and to do some much needed model stitching...and, and, and... Wishing you a creative and productive weekend...

Pretty Little Pincushion

It is no surprise that I am always on the lookout for fun and unique pins and pincushions, so when this adorable spool arrived in my mailbox just before the holidays, I did a little squeal! - isn't it fabulous?! - it was the absolute perfect surprise! I am such a fan of Just Another Button Company and their whimsical designs and products...and this gift made me smile immediately! I have tons of their buttons and pins in my stash...and even a few kits - so when this special spool arrived, I decided to go through my stash and pull out a JABCO project to complete this year (hopefully soon, but I am not going to pressure myself with my current workload)...I decided upon the "Sew Charming" pincushion kit - I just adore this bluebird sitting on a tuffet...and there is even a little heart pocket to hold scissors or a thimble. The kit contains all the materials to make the pincushion...including the tape measure trim, the buttons, and the pins...all you need is a needle and thread and the needlework treasure you want to place in the heart pocket...I think I can handle that! I plan to put this at the top of my "snow day" pile and hope to make a little time to work on it soon...

I have also added a new book to my wishlist...yep, Just Another Button Company has a new book titled "Pincushion Appeal" - I am sure this title will *need* to be added to my studio library...because, as we all know, I have an addiction...

...and if you aren't familiar with the Just Another Button Company blog and are looking for some pincushion inspiration, you should definitely check it out...it is full of eye candy that just may give you and idea or two (or three):
http://justanotherbuttoncompany.com/blog/

Snowman Saturday...

The start of this new year has been a bit of a whirlwind - I am knee deep in a several large projects with fast approaching deadlines (some things I can't wait to share with you!) and I have barely come up for air...but I realized I have a handful of blog posts to do, so I thought I would take a quick break and share some creativity with you!

Like many of you, here in Iowa, we are experiencing below zero temperatures, terrible winds, and lots of snow...and it doesn't seem to improving any time soon....which is fine when I can stay inside and stitch or sew, but not so much fun when walking the dogs each day. I was just thinking it would be fun to go out and play in the snow and  make snow angels or build a snowman, but it is just too darn cold and windy...so here is the next best thing, some snowmen I can share from my warm and cozy studio. These snowmen were all gifts from my very dear friend Terri, who sent me a wonderful themed Christmas package...and I just had to share them with you! She sent a wool snowman pincushion (upper right) that uses the cutest single mini bundt mold for a base (see photo inset)...I just think this is ADORABLE! I just had to find more to give as gifts.

She also sent this very fun snowman cookie platter...well actually, most of you would call it a plate...but I envision it covered with tasty treats from the kitchen...in fact, I think I need to make time for some baking!

And, if all that wasn't enough, how about these fabulous machine embroidered kitchen towels?? - I think I need to make some of these with my machine for gifts next year...they definitely brighten up my kitchen!!

So how's that for a snow day??...and I didn't even have to brave the winter cold!

I will be quilting up a storm this afternoon...and I will be nice and toasty warm. I hope you can find some time to be creative this weekend - and for those of you experiencing the same weather, stay safe and be sure to bundle up if you head outside...have a happy weekend!